Double-Lock the Lock-Outs, or Lose a Hand

I was employed as a mechanical tech for a chemical pump manufacturer. The company flew me out to power plant in a Midwestern state to work on a piston pump that was experiencing low-flow output. The resolution was easy enough. I replaced the normal-wear parts, which involved removing the front end of the pump, but only after the facility mechanic had properly locked and tagged the "pump run" switch.

I left the gearing intact in the main gear case. As with most brass and steel gear sets, the brass will wear into place, leaving minute filings in the oil. Therefore, the first oil change should be performed early. Also, the gearbox needs to be thoroughly cleaned to remove all residue.

The initial oil change on this gear case was overdue. I had replaced the front end, and removed the top cover, allowing access into the gearing cavity. I drained the oil and flushed the gear box with mineral spirits. The next step was to wipe the internals dry. I used a screwdriver to push the rag down into the gearing crevice. I turned around to grab another rag, when the pump started up.

I was shocked, and the mechanic who was assisting me was livid. We immediately returned to the run switch and found that some monkey had removed the lock. We halted all work until the mechanic could find out who had disabled the lock out. The excuse was, "Well, we wanted to run the process, and we couldn’t do it with your lock in place."

Hmm. You would think maybe there was a reason it was locked. Thankfully, no one was injured. Removing someone else's lockout without research violates both OSHA procedural regulations and plant operations. This time, two lockouts were utilized. The one used by all the maintenance men, and the other used by the foreman, who has the only keys.

I reported the incident, and the mechanic filed a grievance. I soon headed back home, so I have no idea what the ultimate outcome was. Either way, a word of warning. When you use lockout and tagging, and it's your hands in the machinery, it's best to either use your own lock or double-lock it so it requires at least two individuals to override the lockout. Many lockouts do allow sufficient room for more than one lock for just this purpose. From then on I started carrying my own locks, as well as tags that identified how to contact both myself and the plant foreman, before attempting to cut off my lock.

This entry was submitted by Rob Horton and edited by Rob Spiegel

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In the first place locking out the run button is a NO-NO - Locking out the control circuit is NOT AN ACCEPTABLE METHOD.

MUST DEENERGIZE AND ISOLATE THE POWER CIRCUIT BY LOCKING OUT THE BRANCH CIRCUIT MAIN DISCONNECT SWITCH OR CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE OFF POSITION. (If there is a disconnect sw. by the machine to facilitate maintenance work, it can be used to lock out)

EACH INDIVIDUAL WORKING ON THE MACHINE/DEVICE SHALL PUT HIS OWN LOCK.

DOUBLE CHECK THAT THE UNIT IS indeed deenergized before starting work.

Notes:Check written LOTO procedure of the facility where work is being done, but one can always insist on and use one's won lock.

Refer to NFPA 70 (NEC), NFPA 70E etc.

All technicians working with m/c and devices that utilize Kinetic and/or Potential energy (Electrical, Mechanical, Hydraulic, Pneumatic, spring energy etc )must be familiar with the equip. and study how to completely isolate all energy from that equipment they are working on.

Working on energized devices is a different ball game altogether, and not addressed here.

cvandewater, I too know of commercial divers who will not work on a ship until Tag Out Lock Out procedures have been followed and all keys are in the dive leader's wet suit. Ya gotta do whatever it takes!

One friend was a promising automotive mechanic until the day he got his right index finger caught in the serpentine belt. He was fired from the place where he just had started (after his education as automotive mechanic) and could not find work due to his handicap....

I heard many years ago that the diver crews working on a ship will only dive after receiving all ignition keys. Don't know if they also were tagging.

That company needs a good safety overhaul or something. The fact that somebody even had access to remove the lock is scary in it's own right. I was at a location once where a guy forgot to unlock. The machine was left inoperable until they reached him at home and made him drive an hour back to remove his lock.

That sounds like a good set of safety procedures, Jon. That should be the usual practice. I was really quite surprised by this Made by Monkeys posting. I would think if nothing else, employees would be careful with lock-outs simpley out of concern for fellow employees.

When I started work at a DuPont research lab back in '69, the company had a safety course for all new employees. We fought simulated chemical fires, put on Scott airpacks, practiced firts aid and learned about lockouts. We couldn't even take jars of chemicals from the store-room unless we had a rubber bucket in which to carry them. The company stressed safety at every turn. I saw some electrical apparatus with lockout upon lockout when many teams were on the site. As others have said, never trust someone else to ensure your safety.

This article reminded me of another thing that I had happen to me twice, and an acquaintance of mine lost his right hand...

When I was 16 I got a job at a Shell gas station near my parents house... This was back in the days when full service gas stations still existed in California. I was a gas station attendant/service truck driver (We were right next to a large shopping mall, and several times a week someone would leave their lights on and need a jump start...)

Anyway, we would always ask if we could check under the hood... We checked oil, radiator overflow tanks, power steering fluid, etc... We would check antifreeze if asked, and also the battery if asked (Sealed maintenance free batteries were not common in those day, I think only Delco had them that I ever saw.

Anyway, twice I would be under the hood checking things and right when I was reaching for the power steering cap, the idiot behind the wheel (1 woman, 1 man... So it was evenly divided between the sexes as to who were the biggest idiots...) started the car!

Most power steering pumps were fairly buried, and frequently you had to reach through an alternator belt to take the P/S cap off... That's how the guy I knew lost his hand...

I would ask if they wanted me to check under the hood, and if they said yes I asked if I could have the keys. After I gave the keys back, I would ask if they wanted their transmission fluid checked, because the car had to be running to do that.

I had several people get really mad at me, but when I explained why most were ok with it... I had maybe 10 or 15 people come back and complain to the station owner that I wouldn't check under their hood unless they gave me their keys... The station owner gave those complainers coupons for a discount on an oil change, and he would always come over to me and tell me I had another complaint... Then he would stare at me for a five count, and say that at least when he fired me I could hitchhike home with my choice of which hand I held out...

The thing people really need to remember is that there are a lot of idiots out there, and you have to protect yourself from them whenever you can...

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